Construction and method of making air bag closure assembly

ABSTRACT

An instrument panel of an automotive vehicle includes a rigid retainer preformed with an air bag opening and a recessed ledge extending about the opening. A separately formed door is installed on the opening and hinged to the retainer along one edge. The remaining three edges overlie the ledge to prevent inward movement of the door. The retainer and door are placed in a cavity of a mold tool in spaced relation to an outer skin and foam constituents are reacted therebetween to develop a foam layer. A foam seal is provided at the interface of the ledge and door to prevent the escape of foam past the ledge.

This invention relates generally to instrument panels for automotivevehicles of the type having a retainer panel formed with an airbagdeployment opening and a separately formed deployment door installed inthe opening and covered by a continuous foam and skin layer and, moreparticularly, to the means of controlling foam leakage past the doorduring manufacture of the instrument panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In manufacturing instrument panels of the above type, the separatelyformed door is typically hinged along one edge to the retainer and a gapexists along the remaining edges to provide clearance for installationand opening. The overlying foam layer is foamed in place in the spaceprovided between the outer skin layer and an upper surface of the doorand retainer members.

According to known practice, the gap between the door and retainer ismasked off with adhesive tape after the door has been installed in theopening. The tape is applied to the outer surfaces of the door andretainer members across the gap and serves to block the foam materialfrom leaking past the door. Application of such tape, althougheffective, adds an extra step in the manufacturing process and furtherpresents a barrier to the direct adhesion of the foam material to thedoor and retainer members in the region of the masked areas.

An air bag closure assembly according to a method and construction ofthe invention overcomes and greatly minimizes the foregoing objections.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An instrument panel closure assembly for an air bag system of a vehicleaccording to the invention comprises a rigid retainer member having atop surface and a preformed air bag deployment opening surrounded atleast in part by a retainer ledge recessed below the top surface. Atleast one separately formed door member is accommodated in thedeployment opening of the retainer member and supported by the recessedretainer ledge against movement inwardly of the retainer ledge. Acontinuous outer flexible polymeric skin layer is spaced in overlyingrelation to the retainer and door members, between which an intermediatelayer of foam material is foamed in place. A foam blockage seal isprovided at the interface between the door member and the recessed ledgeof the retainer member and is operative to block the passage of foamlayer material past the door member and ledge during the formation ofthe foam layer.

The foam blockage seal may be formed as an integral part of the ledgeand/or door or may be formed separately and applied to the ledge beforeinstallation of the door. The recessed seal eliminates the need forsurface-applied masking tape and in doing so promotes complete, uniformdirect adhesion of the foam layer to the underlying door and retainermembers.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will becomereadily apparent when considered in connection with the followingdetailed description and drawings.

THE DRAWINGS

Presently preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in thefollowing description and in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an interior instrument paneltrim component constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of such trim component showing theouter skin and foam layer broken away to expose the underlying door andretainer members;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along lines 3--3 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a preferredmethod of fabricating the trim component according to the invention; and

FIGS. 5-8 are each enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional viewsillustrating alternative sealing arrangements of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referred now to FIGS. 1-3, an interior instrument panel trim componentassembly 10 is illustrated concealing an air bag assembly 14 of knowntype.

The assembly 10 includes a retainer member 16 constructed as a rigidplastic or metal panel having a top surface 18 and a preformeddeployment opening 20 normally closed by a separately formed door member22. While in the illustrative embodiment the assembly 10 has a singledoor member 22, it will be appreciated that the invention is applicableand contemplates multiple door arrangements, such as that disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 5,451,075, which is commonly owned by the assignee of thepresent invention and its disclosure incorporated herein by reference.

The opening 20 of the retainer 16 is generally rectangular and framed onthree sides thereof by an integral ledge 24 recessed below the topsurface 18 of the retainer 16. As illustrated best in FIG. 3, the ledge24 has a generally L-shaped cross section including a downwardlydepending side wall 30 and a transverse support wall 32 having an uppersurface 34 generally parallel to but spaced from the top surface 18 ofthe retainer member 16.

The ledge 24 underlies corresponding side 25 and rear 26 edge regions ofthe door 22 (with respect to their relative positions in relation to thefront and rear of the vehicle) supporting the door 22 against movementinwardly of the retainer and a top surface 28 of the door 22 alignedpreferably flush with the top surface 18 of the retainer 16.Alternatively, the top surface 28 of the door 22 may be raised above thetop surface 18 of the retainer 16, or the top surface 28 of the door 22may be subflush with the top surface 18 of the retainer 16.

A forward edge 36 of the door 22 is secured to an adjacent forward edge38 of the retainer 16 by a separate hinge 40 having a generally S-shapedstrap configuration with one leg 42 overlying the forward edge 36 of thedoor and the other leg 44 extending beneath the forward edge 38 of theretainer and secured to each by a plurality of spaced rivets 45, or thelike.

The retainer and door members 16, 22 are covered by a cushioning foamlayer 46 and an outer flexible, decorative shell or skin layer 48. Theskin layer 48 is preferably formed of a thermoplastic polymer, such aspolyvinyl chloride, thermoplastic urethane, or thermoplastic olefin,according to known manufacturing techniques but could also be athermoset polymer such as thermoset urethane. The skin 48 has a weakenedinvisible seam 50 formed therein corresponding in location and shape tothe unhinged marginal edges 26 of the door member 22 according to knowntechniques. The foam layer 46 is fabricated by known foam-in-placetechniques and foam reactant materials, such as urethane foam, in thespace 52 between the skin layer 48 and the top surfaces 18, 28 of theretainer and door members 16, 22.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the general technique for molding thefoam layer 46. As shown, the preformed skin layer 48 is positionedtopside down in a cavity 54 of a mold tool 56 shaped in accordance withthe desired shape of the instrument panel 12. The assembled retainer anddoor members 16, 22 are inserted into the mold and supported in spacedrelation to the outer skin 48 to provide the foam space 52. Suitablefoam reactants are then introduced into the space 52 where they react,expand and cure to fill the space 52 and generate the foam layer.

According to the invention, a seal 60 is provided between the ledge 24of the retainer member 16 and the confronting edges 26 of the door 22 toprevent the foam 46 from escaping or leaking past the door 22 and ledge24. The seal is formed between the door member 22 and the ledge 24 uponinstalling the door 22 in the opening 20. The invention contemplatesvarious seal arrangements between the ledge 24 and door 22, the first ofwhich is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, with additional embodiments shownin FIGS. 5-8.

Turning now specifically to FIGS. 3 and 4, the support wall 32 of theledge 24 is shown formed with at least one and preferably a pair ofraised inner 62 and outer 63 ribs that project above the upper surface34 of the support wall 32. The ribs 62, 63 are spaced inwardly of theside wall 30 and spaced laterally with respect to one another to defineopen channels 64, 66 underlying the door 22 adjacent the side wall 30and between the ribs 62, 63 respectively. The ribs 62, 63 runcontinuously along the ledge 24 and preferably are in contact or closeproximity with the underside of the door member 22 along the unhingedsides of the door 22, such that the ribs 62, 63 together with the hinge40 seal the space 52 against foam leakage beyond the ledge 24. Theexpanding foam 46 enters a peripheral clearance gap 68 between the sidewall 30 of the ledge 24 and the edge of the door 22 and from there passinto the first channel 64 beneath the door 22. The channel 64 serves asa reservoir for the foam 46 and in some cases may completely contain theexcess foam. The invention contemplates that small gaps or spaces mayexist between the top of the ribs 62, 63 and the confronting surface ofthe door 22 due to imperfections, pressure buildup, or designedclearance, allowing some of the foam material 46 to pass from the outerchannel 64 into the adjacent inner channel 66. In this way, the ribs 62,63 cooperate with the door 22 to define a tortuous, constricted flowpath (i.e. a labyrinth seal) for the foam as it passes between the door22 and ledge 24, causing the foam to accumulate and be retained in oneor both channels 64, 66. As foam flows through thin cross-sections as atgap 68 and small gaps between ribs 62, 63 and door 22, its viscositytends to increase and limit foam leakage at the door/retainer interfacedefined at gap 68.

It is preferred that the ribs 62, 63 be formed integrally with theformation of the ledge 24, and as such they may be molded, stamped orcast as unitary projections rising above the top surface 28 of the ledge24 to meet the underside marginal regions 26 of the door 22.

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the foam blockage seal,in which like reference numerals are used to identify like parts, butare offset by one hundred. The construction of the foam seal 160 is thesame as that of the first embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, except that anadditional resilient strip or gasket 70 is provided in the channel 166to block the passage of the foam material 146 beyond the gasket 70. Thegasket 70 is formed of a resilient, compressible material such asrubber, elastomeric plastic, and synthetic foam. However, it should beunderstood that any natural or synthetic gasket material will suffice,depending upon a particular application.

In the preferred embodiment, the foam strip or gasket 70 extendscontinuously along the ledge 24 around all three unhinged sides of thedoor member 22, and further is adhered at least to the ledge andpreferably to the door 22 as well by means of an adhesive carried on thefacing top and bottom surfaces 72, 74 of the gasket 70.

The foam gasket 70 is strong enough to hold the door 22 and ledge 24sealed, yet is separable upon deployment of the air bag 14 to allow thedoor member 22 to swing outwardly of the retainer member 16 during suchdeployment. According to a preferred construction, the adherencestrength of the foam strip 70 exceeds its tear strength, such that thefoam layer 70 is caused to tear in half upon deployment of the air bag14 with one half of the foam strip 70 remaining adhered to the ledge 24and the other separated half remaining adhered to and carried outwardlywith the door member 22.

FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the invention, wherein likefeatures are referenced by like numerals, but offset by two hundred. Thefoam seal 260 of the FIG. 6 embodiment is identical to that describedabove with respect to FIG. 5 except that the FIG. 6 embodiment lacks therib formations 62, 63 and has only the foam strip 270 adhered to thedoor 22 and ledge 24 members.

FIG. 7 illustrates a still further embodiment of the invention with likefeatures referenced by like numerals offset by three hundred. The ledge324 is molded with a rib 362 as described previously. The door 22 ismolded with a corresponding channel or recess 78 aligned to nest withthe rib 362 of the retainer member. As shown in FIG. 7, the interleavingrib 362 and channel 78 may be located inwardly from the edge of the door322 and side wall 330 of the ledge 324 to provide a reservoir 80 for thefoam material 346 functioning as a labyrinth seal like that of thechannel 64 described previously with respect to the first embodiment ofFIGS. 1-4.

FIG. 8 shows yet another embodiment of the foam blockage seal 460wherein the support wall 432 of the ledge 424 is formed with a mountingchannel 82 in which a resilient foam or rubber gasket 470 is installedto provide a seal between the ledge 424 and door 422. The gasket 470 inthis embodiment has enlarged end regions or heads 84, 86 that resideabove and below the channel 82 when the gasket 470 is installed therein.In this way, the gasket 470 can be installed with a snap-fit connectioninto the channel 82 for ease of assembly.

If desired, the rib and seal configurations of the prior embodiments canbe formed on the door rather than the ledge to serve the same function.

Furthermore, while it is preferred that the ribs, seals and gapstherebetween be formed continuously around the sides and rear of a door,the invention also encompasses an arrangement wherein such sealstructure is provided over at least part of such sides and rear.

The disclosed embodiments are representative of a presently preferredforms of the invention, but are intended to be illustrative rather thandefinitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.

We claim:
 1. An automotive interior trim product constructioncomprising:a rigid retainer member having an air bag deployment openingand a recessed ledge bordering said opening and spaced below a topsurface of said retainer member; a door member mounted within saidopening of said retainer in a normally closed position in overlyingrelation to said ledge for concealing an air bag therebeneath, said doormember being spaced laterally from said retainer member by aperipherally extending gap; an outer skin layer overlying and spacedfrom said retainer and door members; an intermediate foam layer offoamed-in-place material being interposed between said skin layer andsaid retainer and door members; a seal provided at the interface betweensaid door member and said recessed ledge of said retainer memberoperatively positioned to block the passage of said foam layer materialbeyond said ledge during foamed-in-place development of said foam layer;wherein said seal comprises a labyrinth seal defining a constrictedtortuous flow path for said foam material between said door member andsaid ledge; and wherein said labyrinth seal comprises at least oneelement that is secured from independent lateral movement free from aseparate fastener member.
 2. The construction of claim 1 wherein saidseal includes at least one foam-collection channel.
 3. The constructionof claim 2 wherein said seal includes at least one standing ribextending along at least one of said ledge and said door memberextending to said foam collection channel.
 4. The construction of claim3 wherein said seal includes at least two of said standing ribs spacedlaterally from one another to define a channel therebetween.
 5. Theconstruction of claim 4 wherein said seal includes a resilient stripaccommodated within said channel in foam-tight sealed engagement withsaid ledge and said door member.
 6. An automotive interior trim productconstruction comprising:a rigid retainer member having an air bagdeployment opening and a recessed ledge bordering said opening andspaced below a top surface of said retainer member; a door membermounted within said opening of said retainer in a normally closedposition in overlying relation to said ledge for concealing an air bagtherebeneath, said door member being spaced laterally from said retainermember by a peripherally extending gap; an outer skin layer overlyingand spaced from said retainer and door members; an intermediate foamlayer of foamed-in-place material being interposed between said skinlayer and said retainer and door members; a seal provided at theinterface between said door member and said recessed ledge of saidretainer member operatively positioned to block the passage of said foamlayer material beyond said ledge during said foam-in-place developmentof said foam layer; wherein said seal includes at least two standingribs spaced laterally from one another to define a channel therebetween;wherein said seal includes a resilient strip accommodated within saidchannel in foam-tight sealed engagement with said ledge and said doormember; and wherein said resilient strip is adhered to said ledge andsaid door member.
 7. The construction of claim 6 wherein said resilientstrip is separable upon deployment of the air bag to accommodate outwardopening movement of said door member.
 8. The construction of claim 7wherein said resilient strip is tearable upon said deployment such thata portion of said strip remains adhered to said ledge and the remainingportion remains adhered to said door member and is moveable outwardlytherewith.
 9. The construction of claim 1 wherein said seal includes aresilient strip confronting said door member and said ledge to provide aleak proof seal therebetween.
 10. The construction of claim 9 whereinsaid resilient strip comprises a foam strip adhered to said door andledge members.
 11. The construction of claim 10 wherein said foam stripis separable upon deployment of the air bag and corresponding outwardopening movement of said door member.
 12. The construction of claim 11wherein said foam strip is tearable upon said deployment of the air bagsuch that one portion of said strip remains adhered to said ledge andthe remaining portion remains adhered to said door member and movesoutwardly therewith.
 13. The construction of claim 1 wherein said sealcomprises a resilient strip secured to at least one of said ledge andsaid door member.
 14. The construction of claim 1 wherein said doormember is hinged along one side margin thereof to said retainer memberand said gap and said seal extends at least partially along other sidemargins of said door member.
 15. The construction of claim 14 whereinsaid door member has a top surface supported generally flush with saidtop surface of said retainer member when said door member isaccommodated within said deployment opening.